College Track Preview : Outlook Appears to Be Bright for UCLA, but It’s Not for USC

One coach was cautiously optimistic, the other seemed depressed, burdened by circumstances out of his control.

That’s the pervasive atmosphere of the men’s track and field programs at UCLA and USC.

Bob Larsen’s Bruins are on the upbeat side. The UCLA coach has eight athletes returning who scored in last year’s NCAA meet and most likely has the best dual meet team in the country.

Moreover, the team is bolstered by some blue-chip athletes, who were redshirted last year.

“We’re going to have an excellent dual meet team again,” said Larsen, whose Bruins were unbeaten in nine dual meets in 1986 and were acclaimed as the nation’s best dual meet team by Track & Field News.

“It’s difficult for us to make a comparison with last year’s team, but we’re going to be stronger in some events.”

Now for the flip side.

USC Coach Ernie Bullard, who is always battling a numbers problem because of the 14-scholarship limit that imposes restrictions on private schools with high tuition costs, has additional concerns now.

Three of his best athletes, sprinters Pancho Morales and Mike Dexter, and half-miler Joey Bunch, aren’t available.

Morales, who was bothered by shin splints last year, had arthroscopic surgery Feb. 19 to remove a metal object from his knee. Dexter and Bunch, who were Pacific 10 meet winners last year in the 200 and 800, are academically ineligible.

Two other athletes, triple jumper Michael Pullins and intermediate hurdler George Porter, are coming back from injuries.

“Pullins can sprint, but he can’t jump, which is a predicament if you’re a triple jumper,” Bullard said.

Bullard also said that he has learned from Athletic Director Mike McGee that there’s a possibility that the NCAA may reduce the existing scholarships for men’s track and field.

“Any time you reduce scholarships, the private schools’ problems will magnify,” Bullard said. “The other scenario is to eliminate the room and board part of the scholarship and just have tuition, which in our case will eliminate the foreign student-athlete.

“I don’t know how this job becomes more complicated, but it appears to be. Again, the direction we’re taking to establish a dual meet program becomes more and more difficult.”

Bullard, now in his third year as USC’s coach, empathizes with his predecessors, Vern Wolfe and his assistant, Ken Matsuda. They virtually abandoned the dual meet program, concentrating on recruiting multi-event athletes, who would score in the conference and national meets.

“Vern and Ken were criticized for refining their program with lesser numbers and this may be what we have to do,” Bullard said. “Right now there’s a lot of frustration for what we’re attempting to do.”

USC was once the power in collegiate track and field with 26 NCAA championships to show for it. Those trophies are now gathering dust in Heritage Hall.

The outlook is considerably brighter at Westwood. UCLA probably won’t be challenged in dual meets and will be favored along with Oregon to win the Pac-10 meet and, perhaps, place high in the NCAA meet.

Larsen’s proven performers include quarter-miler Danny Everett, intermediate hurdler Kevin Young, high hurdler Steve Kerho, shotputter Jim Banich and sprinters Mike Marsh and Henry Thomas, who has apparently recovered from the hamstring and foot injuries that restricted him last year.

A look at the Bruins:

Sprints--Marsh is the defending Pac-10 champion in the 100 meters. Thomas had a lifetime best time of 20.49 seconds in the 200 in 1986, despite his injuries. Everett placed fifth in the NCAA 400 and anchored UCLA’s school record-breaking 1,600-meter relay team.

Hurdles--Kevin Young placed second in the NCAA 400-meter intermediate hurdles with a personal best time of 48.77. He’s also available as a high hurdler and long jumper. Kerho won both hurdles races as a junior in the 1985 conference meet and was redshirted last year because of a persistent groin injury. He’s healthy now. Raymond Young adds depth to a solid hurdling corps.

Middle and long distances--Not as formidable an area as it has been in other years, but satisfactory at a dual-meet level. John Phillips is a competent half-miler (best 1:49.07), while Mark Junkermann is a factor from 1,500 meters through the 5,000 including the steeplechase. Tom Grewe placed fourth in the steeple in the Pac-10 meet, while Junkermann was second. Phil Jaspers, a freshman from the Netherlands, adds quality from the 1,500 on up. Weight events--Larsen says there’s both talent and depth in the weights. Banich is one of the country’s best shotput-discus performers with personal bests of 65-3 1/2 and 199-10, respectively.

Brian Blutreich, a freshman who redshirted in 1986, was one of the top prep prospects in the country. His 63-5 3/4 mark in the shotput was the best in 1986 among the world’s junior athletes. He has a 186-0 mark in the discus. Dave Wilson, another redshirt in 1986, has a best of 215-8 in the hammer throw. Chris Sweeney, who has a knee injury, is a 60-foot plus shotputter.

Jumps and throwing--Brandon Richards is expected to improve on his best of 18-2 in the pole vault. There’s not much depth in the long and triple jumps where Kevin Young (25-4 1/2) and Dwayne Washington (52-5 1/2 wind-aided) are the top scorers. Viktor Nehring is the only high jumper of merit.

Jim Connolly is UCLA’s best javelin thrower (240-5) and an accomplished decathlete. He was fourth in the 1986 NCAA meet, totaling 7,771 points. Roy Carls is also a promising decathlete (7,184 points).

A look at the Trojans:

Sprints--Morales might be available at the end of the season. If not, senior Antonio Manning, who hasn’t been able to finish a season because of injuries, must hold up the sprint corps. He opened up with a 21-flat 200 in a meet against UC Irvine Feb. 21. Freshman Jesus Olivan of Spain might make an impact in the sprints.

Hurdles--Robert Reading was second in the Pac-10 110-meter race (13.82) and he also runs a leg on the sprint relay. Freshman George Porter, the national prep record-holder in the 300-meter hurdles, is apparently healthy now. John Anderson (52.34) supports Porter in the intermediate race.

Middle and long distances--Ray Griffin, from Taft College, might ease the loss of Bunch. He has best times of 1:46.8 and 3:50.36 for the 800 and 1,500, respectively. Eric Schermerhorn is an improving half-miler (1:48.23). Ruben Gomez was a disappointment last year with illness and injuries. Kenya’s Fredson Mayiek set a school record of 29:59.14 in the 10,000 while placing sixth in the Pac-10 meet last year.

Weight events--USC lost school record-holder Jon Wolitarsky in the hammer throw, but England’s Andy Tolputt (216-0) should fill the void. Tambi Wenj, a transfer from Long Beach City College, and the State JC champion in 1986 in the shotput, will compete in all the weight events and the javelin.

Jumps and throws--A stronger area for the Trojans. Steve Klassen and Eric White were NCAA finalists in the pole vault in 1986. Klassen has a best mark of 18-0 1/2. Pullins, who had ankle surgery last fall, is questionable in the triple jump, but Olivan is one of the top junior long jumpers in the world with a best of 26-3. Brian Patchett is a 7-2 high jumper. Bullard could use some bodies in the javelin.